of an IEQ Program, Common Issues to Avoid, and the Greening of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

School IEQ: Components

• f an IEQ Program,

Common Issues to Avoid, and the “Greening” of your facility

Luke Gard Center for Environmental Health Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics

Current Educational Facility Stock

• 53,000,000 children spend

70% of their day in ~120,000 schools

• 31% built before WW II
• 43% built from ~1950 –

1970

• ~6000 new schools expected

to be built in the next 5 years.

• Student and staff health
• Attendance
• Academic performance
• General cognitive ability

Sufficient data to show a significant relationship between indoor environmental quality* and:

*Multiple references

• Temperature
• Ventilation adequacy
• Relative humidity
• Carbon dioxide levels
• Amount of daylight
• Presence of noise
• Indoor pollutants

Student success in the classroom has been shown to be related to / influenced by*:

*Multiple references

School Facilities: Condition of America’s Schools. U.S. General Accounting Office, Washington, DC, 1995. GAO/HEHS 95-61

A 1995 US GAO Report of Unsatisfactory and Very Unsatisfactory Environmental Conditions in Schools

• In 2000, U.S. Dept of Ed. Report -

25% of U.S. schools need extensive repair or replacement of

• ne or more buildings, and ~40%
• f schools report at least one

environmental problem.

• 2004 U.S. Dept of Ed. Report -

virtually nothing had changed.

Mendell, Mark and Heath, Garvin, “A Summary of Scientific Findings on Adverse Effects of Indoor Environment on Student’s Health, Academic Performance and Attendance”, U.S. Department of Education, April 2004, LBNL-2004-06

Background Information

In 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranked indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental threats to public health and one of largest remaining health risks in the United States.

Additional Information

Also in 2000, the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology noted that about 50% of illnesses are either caused

• r aggravated by poor indoor air

quality (IAQ).

1995- EPA created the “IAQ Tools for Schools” Kit to provide schools and school districts with resource materials to implement an IAQ Program.

U.S. EPA. 2007. Envisioning Excellence and the Framework for Effective School IAQ Management: Six Key Drivers. The 8th Annual IAQ TfS Symposium, Washington, DC, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

2006 EPA report-

• Good News- 42% of schools

nationwide have some type of IAQ management program in place.

• But, this means 58% of schools

and approximately 30 million students attend schools with no IAQ management plan in place.

Moglia, Dena, Alisa Smith, David L. MacIntosh, and Jennifer L. Somers, “Prevalence and Implementation of IAQ Programs in U.S. Schools”, Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 114(1) 141-6, 2006.

• One third (35.4%) of school districts had IAQ

Plan

• Only half (51.4%) of the schools had an IAQ

Management Program.

• Of the schools that had a program, 85% of

them based their program on the EPA TfS program.

• Only 20% of states required districts or schools

to have an IAQ Program

2007 School Health Report from CDC

Jones, Sherry Everett, PhD, MPH, JD, Robert Axelrad, Wendy A. Wattigney, M.Stat., “Healthy and Safe School Environment, Part II, Physical School Environment: Results From the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006” Journal of School Health,

• Vol. 77(8) October 2007.

In early 2010, EPA website correlating IAQ with student performance

Goal of EPA “Tools for Schools” Kit is to create a proactive rather than reactive philosophy of school IEQ

• management. It shows that the

school district administration is making a good faith effort to work

• n a process and create a

communication system for identifying and resolving common issues found in their school facilities.

• Many districts feel overwhelmed when trying

to create an IAQ program where none existed previously

• Once implemented, sustainability is a

challenge

– interest wanes after an issue has been resolved – time and budget constraints make it more difficult sustain activities – often times the “champion” of the program pursues

• pportunities elsewhere

Reasons school districts try and fail to implement effective, sustainable IAQ management plans?

• Schools represent the most densely
• ccupied buildings we use
• Constant focus on educational needs;

new programs, curriculum and instruction that require additional resources

• Budget dollars for regular maintenance

and renovation of school buildings have been forced to a low priority.

Schools Face Inherent Challenges:

• Administrative/management activities
• Evaluation of existing activities and

structure

• Training of staff
• Facility Assessments w/ building-level team
• Tracking and Surveillance (document ROI)
• Publicize activities and results

Creating an Indoor Air Quality program should include:

Administrative/Management Activities:

• Identify high-level “champion” within

the district

• Creation and integration of
• rganizational structure (as part of
• ther structures)
• Creation and integration of lines of

communication and/or chain-of- command

• Establish district-level and building-

level teams

Get Everyone Involved

• District SHS Teams should include a

board members, teacher representatives, and parents, and you?

• Building SHS Teams should include

the principal, nurse, lead custodian, teacher representatives and district administrators.

• Recommend including as part of

Health and Wellness programs

Begin by evaluating your district’s policies and procedures:

• Assess health and wellness initiatives
• Establish routine maintenance and custodial

activities and schedules

• Evaluate pest control strategies and activities
• Search for safer cleaning products and more

effective custodial techniques

• Review waste management and recycling
• Assess presence of idling vehicles
• Evaluate Chemical Management, Safety, and

Chemical Disposal plans

Create and include training

• pportunities for:
• Asthma education and training for

nurses, coaches, teachers and students

• Education and training for maintenance

and custodial staff

• Staff education and training in regards

to occupancy-related issues

• Basic education and training for

district-level and building-level teams

Teaching Teams How Buildings Work

Teach Staff to understand:

• The Four Main Factors That Affect

School Indoor Environmental Health are: – Contaminant sources – Contaminant pathways – Ventilation – The health and medical history

• f the occupants

Teams Should Know the Basics

• What contaminants turn

good indoor environments bad? – Moisture – Dust – Bioaerosols – Chemicals – Allergens – Gases – Fumes

Building

Assessments

Air Flow and Ventilation

Allergens and Dust

Is this Cluttered?

How about this?

What about this space?

Moisture Control

Chemical Exposure

Safety and Injury Prevention

The Learning Environment

Exterior Issues

The Most Common Problems Leading to Poor IEQ we’ve

• bserved:
• Poor occupancy practices.
• Poor maintenance &

custodial practices.

• Inadequate design and/or

maintenance of HVAC. –A shortage of fresh air. –Lack of humidity control.

So we created…

Don’t Forget To

• Track changes/improvements and

correlate to reduced operating costs, reductions in clinic visits and absenteeism, and improvements in test scores

• Publicize all air quality-related

activities and outcomes and include stakeholders and general public in communication process

Just Do Something

If starting an IEQ Program seems daunting, and you don’t know where to begin…just take the first step, start somewhere.

– Look for and change stained ceiling tiles in the facility – Start using safer/greener chemicals – Replace old vacuums with HEPA-equipped vacuums – Begin using micro fiber cloths for cleaning – Replace old light bulbs with CFL’s – Replace old light fixtures and ballasts when they fail – Start a recycling program Once you take the first step, the process has already begun!

Going Green

Simply put, this involves minimizing

• ne’s impact on the planet

Going Green in Existing Schools

This involves making changes or improvements to the facility that help create safe, healthier, and more efficient learning environments, while reducing the impact of the facility on the planet

Going Green in Existing Schools

Things to consider regarding new products during the decision-making process:

– Hazards, if any (reduction of hazards) – Environmental impact of manufacturing the product – Estimated lifespan of the product – Maintenance and care issues – Cost

Going Green in Existing Schools

These changes and improvements can take place during:

– Ordering and Purchasing process – Renovations – Repairs – Routine Maintenance – Custodial Practices and Procedures – Waste disposal and recycling

Ordering and Purchasing Process

Research the possibilities to determine what can:

– be used as an alternative to existing products – reduce or eliminate environmental concerns – reduce time and money associated with maintenance and custodial activities – reduce energy use (Energy STAR)

Energy STAR rating and available products

Energy STAR rating was developed by the EPA as a way of identifying products that meet certain energy efficiency standards. Energy STAR ratings apply to:

– HVAC systems, fixtures and lights – Computers, printers, copiers and other

• ffice equipment

– Kitchen appliances – Audio/visual equipment

Renovations

Green improvements that should be considered during the renovation process:

– Building Products

• Wall construction, roofing materials,

doors, and windows

– Mechanical Systems

• HVAC systems (Energy STAR)
• Plumbing systems – water conservation

– Finishes and furnishings

• Paints, sealants, flooring materials, and

furnishings

Repairs

Maintenance makes repairs to systems and equipment within district facilities. Often times, items will need to be replaced because they simply cannot be repaired. This provides the custodial and maintenance staff the

• pportunity to replace inefficient, outdated,

and potentially hazardous items with ones that are more efficient, up-to-date, and items that maybe safer and healthier for occupants of the facility.

Routine Maintenance

Routine maintenance provides another good opportunity for green substitutes to be made within the facility, including:

– changing out old or expired light bulbs for CFL’s – using low VOC paints, caulks, and sealants – installing automatic sensors on facility lighting to reduce energy costs – installing automatic sensors on sinks, toilets, and urinals to reduce water usage – installing higher efficiency furnace filters to help reduce dust, allergens, and other contaminants to improve IAQ within the

• ccupied spaces of the facility

Custodial Practices and Procedures

Custodians play the most important role in maintaining safe and healthy conditions within the facility. Custodial activities include:

– Cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces, generally using chemical applications – Maintaining the floors

• Hard surfaces require sweeping, mopping, and waxing

(sometimes vacuuming)

• Carpeted surfaces require routine vacuuming and

cleaning

– Dusting

Green Custodial Practices and Procedures

Green cleaning chemicals are an alternative to standard products that can cause harm to both the environment and health. Green chemicals are generally produced using natural alternatives rather than the hazardous components commonly used in most commercial cleaning products. This helps minimize or eliminate student and staff exposure to potentially hazardous cleaning chemicals. Custodial and janitorial staff have exhibited some of the highest rates of asthma and other chronic respiratory issues in an occupational setting, as a result of repeated exposures to standard commercial cleaning products.

Green Custodial Practices and Procedures

Routine floor cleaning is critical in maintaining reduced levels of particulates within the

• ccupied spaces.

– For hard, resilient floor surfaces

• Micro fiber dust mops are very effective at collecting

and holding on to dust and debris

• Green chemicals aren’t as harsh as standard

commercial cleaning products, which may extend the life of surface finishes

– For carpets and area rugs

• HEPA-equipped vacuums help reduce the dust and

allergen load in carpeted and upholstered surfaces, which can help minimize or eliminate symptoms in sensitive individuals

• Vacuums equipped with HEPA filtration also capture

particulates and keep them from being re-introduced into the occupied spaces and ultimately settling on

• surfaces. These surfaces then require less frequent

dusting.

Sometimes…you just have to be creative!

Waste Disposal

Waste disposal is critical in the school facilities because of the variety of activities that take place in schools and the unique waste streams that are generated. Be sure to reference state and federal guidelines to ensure district is in compliance.

– Waste streams in science classrooms (Rehab the Lab) – Art and graphic art classrooms – Print shops and darkrooms – Waste streams from maintenance and facilities – Mercury containing devices – Computers – Kitchen and food service waste

Recycling Programs

There are a number of items that could be recycled, rather than disposed of, including:

– Newspapers and office paper – Aluminum cans – Plastic bottles – Composting of food waste – Old florescent light bulbs and the newer CFL’s, which contain trace amounts of mercury – Old computers, office equipment, and even older office and classroom furniture can be donated to organizations in need, rather than throwing these items away Students, science classes, and even the PTA could all become involved in creating and operating recycling programs within respective facilities

If you have questions or need help getting started, don’t hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you!

Luke Gard Safe and Healthy Schools Program Coordinator Center for Environmental Health Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics 816-855-1893 lcgard@cmh.edu